What is the difference between Panax notoginseng and Aptenia cordifolia? Learn to tell them apart easily

Panax notoginseng and Aptenia cordifolia are two different plants. Everyone is familiar with Panax notoginseng, which is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, while Aptenia cordifolia is an ornamental plant. Telling these two plants apart is fairly easy, as long as you find the corresponding differences. Below, Qinnong Web will introduce them to you.

1. Different families and genera

The most essential difference between the two is that they belong to different families and genera; they are not the same type of plant at all.

Aptenia cordifolia is also called heart-leaf ice plant, and it is a plant in the family Aizoaceae, genus Mesembryanthemum. It is native to southern Africa, and in our country it is cultivated only for ornamental use.

Panax notoginseng, also called sanqi, is a plant in the family Araliaceae, genus Panax. It is a precious medicinal herb unique to our country and has great medicinal value.

2. Different appearance

Having covered families and genera, many people probably still are not very clear about their differences. After all, we usually distinguish plants by their appearance, so what are the differences in appearance between Panax notoginseng and Aptenia cordifolia?

1. Appearance characteristics of Aptenia cordifolia

The stems of Aptenia cordifolia are very thin, but fleshy and thick, and bright and green in color. The branches have angular edges, and after extending they become semi-prostrate;

Its leaves lie obliquely and are opposite, the leaves are oblong, with many branches, and the branches and leaves are very lush;

The flowers of Aptenia cordifolia are borne singly at the top of the branches or in the leaf axils. The petals are mostly red-purple, very showy in color, growing in a spoon shape, with a pale yellow center, and the form is like a chrysanthemum. The flowers are glossy, and the flowering period is from spring to autumn, lasting a long time.

2. Appearance characteristics of Panax notoginseng

The whole Panax notoginseng plant grows upright, and the leaves have serrated edges, so they are not smooth and flat. The leaves are also thinner, but wider and larger than those of Aptenia cordifolia, and are covered with fine hairs. Its flowers grow in a spherical form, with thick and small petals clustered together, so densely that they look like a ball. The flower stalks are very long, each bearing a single flower.

The above is Qinnong Web's introduction to the differences between Panax notoginseng and Aptenia cordifolia. After reading it, do you think these two plants are easy to tell apart? If you have different ways of distinguishing them, you can also tell us!